This invention relates generally to a tilt piston (also referred to as a wobble piston), such as may be used in tilt piston compressors and other applications, and more particularly to an annular support which supports a seal for the tilt piston.
Presently, tilt pistons are used in compressors of relatively light pressures and powers. The simple design of the tilt piston compressor type, the limited number of moving parts, the ease of manufacture, and the lack of oil as a lubricant gives the tilt piston design several advantages over the conventional reciprocating designs.
One of the limiting factors of this design is obtaining a piston head seal which can withstand the greater pressures, piston bore volumes and forces which the pistons are to be exposed to.
When the piston seal is exposed to pressures which exceed what they are capable of handling, the seal fails, and the sides of the tilt piston engage the piston bore, which results in great damage to the bore and the piston.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present tilt piston head seal designs. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.